This invention relates to an apparatus, method and system for assisting a patient""s breathing and, more particularly, for assisting breathing without contacting the patient.
Patients with diseases that involve muscular degeneration, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig""s disease), frequently require assistance in breathing. Such assistance typically takes the form of forcibly inflating and deflating the patient""s lungs using breathing masks or endo-tracheal tubes connected to pumps. Such methods are invasive, interfering with other functions such as speech. Further, such methods provide continuous intervention in the breathing process, even when the patient requires only intermittent assistance to catch his or her breath. An impediment for implementing breathing assistance on-demand by the patient is that patients with such degenerative muscular diseases often do not have use of their limbs to turn such breathing assistance on and off.
In accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention, a system is provided for directing a pressurized stream of gas at a patient""s mouth to assist in breathing. The system includes a source of the gas stream; a conduit for conveying the stream from an inlet, connected to the gas source, to an outlet directing the stream toward the patient""s mouth; a sensor for detecting a respiratory need of the patient; a valve inserted in the conduit for controlling the stream; and a controller for controlling the valve, actuated based on the respiratory need of the patient.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, a device is provided for directing a pressurized stream of gas at a patient""s mouth to assist in breathing. The device includes a conduit for conveying the gas stream from an inlet, connected to a gas source, to an outlet directing the stream toward the patient""s mouth; a sensor for detecting a respiratory need of the patient; a by-pass vent for venting the stream when breathing assistance is not required; a valve inserted in the conduit for dividing the stream between the outlet and the vent; and a controller for controlling the valve that is actuated based on the respiratory need of the patient.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for directing a pressurized stream of a gas at a patient""s mouth to assist in breathing. The method comprises sensing a respiratory need of the patient; controlling a flow of the stream based on the respiratory need of the patient; and directing the stream toward a vicinity of the patient""s mouth.